BMW IX3 is UK’s longest range electric car

BMW’s latest electric vehicle, the second generation of the iX3, has claimed to be the longest-range EV available in UK showrooms.

Set to be launched in spring 2026, it has a range of over 500 miles – that is a journey from London to the Scottish city of Dundee without stopping to recharge.

According to the German manufacturer, the sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, has a peak charging rate of 400 kW, meaning that the new BMW iX3 sets new standards for efficiency and long-distance capability. 

The company also claims its new all-encompassing sustainability concept will reduce the car’s carbon footprint over its life cycle by more than 30% compared to its predecessor.

Also, this new model is changing how the next generation of BMW’s will be charged.

They will have a maximum charging rate of 400 kW, which allows drivers to fill their iX3 with enough energy at an 800V direct current rapid charging station to add up to 231 miles of range in ten minutes. 

• Longest range electric cars on sale in 2025: Top 10
• The road to electric – in charts and data
• Electric cars – a definitive guide and tips for buyers

This is the first of a new generation of electric vehicles for the German manufacturer.

Ahead of the arrival of the ‘Neue Klasse’, BMW has announced that it will offer the latest design and technology innovations, ‘which will shape the brand’s entire model range moving forwards’.

The new tech will be incorporated into 40 new models and model updates between September 2025 and 2027.

Following its first public showcase at the IAA Mobility Summit in Munich Germany, Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG commented: “Practically everything about it is new, yet it is also more BMW than ever.

“Our entire product range will benefit from the innovations of the Neue Klasse – regardless of the drive technology.

“What started as a bold vision has now become reality: the BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to go into series production.

“We are not only bringing the next generation of one of our most successful fully electric vehicles onto the road, we are launching a new era for BMW.”

The previous EV with the longest range was the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, which went on sale in the UK earlier this summer.

However, the Lucid Air, which customers can you buy in the US and certain European countries, has the longest advertised range of up to 516 miles.